Tribunal grants Ajaka, SDP access to election materials

The Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja has granted counsel to the first applicant in the case of the governorship election petition, Murtala Ajaka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the leave to access materials and all documents used in the conduct of the November 11 gubernatorial election in the state.

The presiding judge, of the tribunal, Justice Yusuf Ado Birnin-Kudu, handed out the order on Saturday, compelling the first respondent in the petition, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to comply within 24 hours.

The order followed an application by S.E Aruwa (SAN) expressing his inability to access documents, mainly 42 items used in the conduct of the election, to proceed with his case.

According to Aruwa, all efforts to access such documents at INEC offices in Abuja and Lokoja had proved abortive, hence the need for an order of the tribunal to proceed with the case.

In his preliminary ruling, Justice Yusuf Ado Birnin-Kudu said the application is meritorious in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended and the Electoral Act, 2022.

He, therefore, granted the application allowing counsel to Ajaka, of the SDP led by John Adele (SAN) and S. E. Aruwa (SAN) access to certified copies of documents used for the governorship election within two days.

Equally, the chairman of the tribunal granted the prayers of Adele to compel INEC to also grant access to Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other electronic materials used within 48 hours.